NEXT STOP SYDNEY-TRANSCRIPTION
00:00-00:04 jon: G’day mates, welcome to Next Stop, from one of the greatest cities in the world.
00:05-00:18 Next Stop Sydney rolls
00:19-00:34 JON: Sydney is consistently rated number one of the greatest cities in the world by travelers. I am one of those travelers and I definitely agree, it’s one of my favorite cities around the globe. There is heaps of wonderful things to do and see here in the land down under, so sit back and enjoy Next Stop Sydney. The fun starts now!
00:35-00:37 Next Stop logo
00:41-01:11 JON: We are in one of my favorite Sydney neighborhoods, the Rocks, for a tour with Bonza bike tours. So I’ve ridden a bike before so I know how to ride a bike, I know how to put the helmet on, but I don’t know where we are going.
KAT: Where we are going today, is we are going to start down in Circular Quay, and we go up to Observatory Hill, and you can see a whole bunch of Sydney from there. Before the bridge was built it actually had a 360 degree view there.
JON: Lovely. Are we going to get a workout?
KAT:You certainly are. It’s easy, it’s something everyone can do.
JON: Let’s do it!
KAT: Alrighty.
01:17-01:46 KAT: So here is Circular Quay, where the tour starts. It’s also the place where Sydney started pretty much, so it’s kind of really appropriate.
JON: This is cool though! I’ve seen the ships down here in CIrcular Quay they are amazing, a different one every day. What a view man, this is awesome. This is what you guys call art here?
KAT: Well, it’s what some people call art. We’ve uh…
JON: I like it.
01:57-02:57 KAT: We’re here at a place called Walsh Bay, what we can see over here is something called Blues Point Tower, which is what some people say is the ugliest building in Sydney, but unfortunately it got heritage listed.
JON: Really?
KAT: Yeah.
JON: Why would it be heritage listed?
KAT: Because it was one of the oldest ones here, so they built it, the government bought it, and it stuck around long enough.
JON: I’ve noticed Kat that Sydney is a very fit city, as the people just went by.
KAT: It takes a little bit of work to maintain the reputation, but.
JON: What’s the reputation?
KAT: We’re a good looking country.
JON: Hot. Everyone is in good shape here, I love it.
KAT: Here we are at Observatory Hill. As you can see there’s bit to observe.
JON: There is a lot to observe!
KAT: There is a lot to observe, as you can see, it’s a pretty good view. And we return!
JON: Kat thanks for the tour!
KAT: No worries, I got you back safe and sound.
JON: We love your city, man.
03:00-03:32 Next Stop logo
03:08-03:14: JON: In it’s short lifetime, the Sydney opera house has earned a reputation as a world class performing arts center. It has become a true symbol of Sydney and the Australian nation.
03:23-04:49 JON: The Sydney Opera House is a beautiful structure known throughout the world. Alex is our tour guide today. I’ve always wanted to come here.
ALEX: The Sydney Opera House, it was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the 2nd in October of 1973. And in that time the Sydney Opera House has become one of the most visited sites in Australia. The Sydney Opera House has a global recognition factor of around 4 billion people, that equates to roughly to 2 out of every 3 people on the face of the earth, they will recognize the iconic shape of the Sydney Opera House. It’s amazing, people get truly overwhelmed walking through this space.
JON: I bet, especially architects.
ALEX: Architects, I take architects around and they just want to come and sit here and go oooooh, baby!
JON: Ok, so obviously we’ve got concrete on the inside, but on the outside…it’s not.
ALEX: Well the whole roof is covered with ceramic roof tiles from Sweden. There is 1 million, 56 thousand and six individual roof tiles that cover the whole Sydney Opera House. Now, instead of climbing up and individually placing each tile, one after the other, up to a million fifty six thousand and six, they tiled each one of those panels, or lids, down on the ground and they used a big crane to pick up each individual panel section and locked it into position.
04:59-05:26 JON: What’s the message to our viewers, I mean obviously it’s a beautiful structure, but why should people come to the Sydney Opera House?
JON: I thought the Sydney Opera House was just for opera, and just for classical music, but come into the Sydney Opera House, it’s places to eat, great views all the way around and inside. But it’s not just opera that they do here, it’s rock concerts, films, talk, avant garde theater, cabaret, burlesque, rock shows, a little bit of something for everyone.
JON: We’ll you’ve been an awesome tour guide, thank you Alex, pleasure to meet you.
ALEX: Thank you.
05:31-05:33 Next Stop logo
05:34-05:38 JON: Coming up on Next Stop, we experience one of the great thrill that Sydney has to offer.
05:41-05:43 Next Stop logo
05:50-06:28 JON: One of the most thrilling things you can do here is climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Next Stop, the top.
DEAN: Welcome to the Sydney Harbor Bridge. What I would like you to do is to grab your latch, take it off the hook, we will to be attaching it to our static line, that will be on our right hand side, so are we ready for action?
ALL: Yes!
DEAN: Let’s go, let’s do it. First part of the bridge here, southern approach span, roughly 300 meters long, here we are coming over George Street, it’s the oldest street in the country, actual fact.
JON: Is it really?
06:39-08:13 JON: That was quite a climb!
DEAN: Brilliant!
JON: That’s a fun little climb right there, straight up!
DEAN: Everybody gets the same thrill that you do on the Bridge, Jon-O.
JON: And you get to do it several times a day!
DEAN: We do, we get to do it up to 3 times a day, you have got to be fit and ready to go as a climb leader.
JON: You are looking fit man. So what it that little fort like thing over there?
DEAN: I’m glad you asked that Jon-O, because that is our main means of defense in Sydey. Fort Dennison, roughly 155 years of age, so the little island that that little fort sits on which is known as Pinchgut, was literally the top of the island was cored away into a shelf so they could build the fort there that we see today.
JON: I see lots of other people climbing the bridge, how many people come through this every day?
DEAN: A record breaking day we’ll see 1800 people, big numbers. It’s the thing you’ve got to do when you come to Sydney as you can see Jon-O, you’ve got views of the whole of the greater Sydney, right out to those blue mountains, right down to the southern islands, out to the Tasman Sea, out of the South Pacific.
JON: Well this was a spectacular day, I won’t forget this. You were an awesome tour guide, you didn’t disappoint, so thank you Dean.
DEAN: Thanks Jon, it’s been great to have you on board.
JON: Guys?
ALL: How good is this?
08:16-08:18 Next Stop logo
08-19-08:35 JON: There are over 400 beautiful parks and open spaces here in Sydney, and the city encourages responsible use and enjoyment of their lovely outdoors. The weather is quite moderate year round here in Sydney, so it’s almost always a perfect day to get outside and enjoy. For more information on Sydney and to plan your day at the park, go to sydney.com
08:36-08:38 Next Stop logo
08:39-11:04 JON: We are staying at one of Australia’s best boutique hotels, located in the heart of Sydney’s restaurant and bar district, the Kirketon Hotel. Let’s talk about the property here, and the different room styles available, and just the overall feel you get when you come here.
PAUL: Yeah, sure. There is 3 different rooms upstairs, the standard and premium and executive rooms. The difference really is just in size, the decor is all pretty much the same, it really is dependant on how much size you need.
JON: I love the feel you get in this, you don’t feel like you are in a big city, you feel like you are in a small town. It’s kind of a small town boutique atmosphere and the neighborhood is awesome.
PAUL: What we were trying to do here with the designers was really fit it into the Darlinghurst and create a boutique hotel that the locals really embraced.
JON: You have one of the most famous pubs in Sydney attached to the hotel.
PAUL: We do, we do , we do. Eaudevie it’s a fantastic cocktail bar and its won numerous awards, right up to umm, best hotel bar in the world, so I’d urge you guys to head down and grab a cocktail.
JON: You know, I think I might fit in there. Thanks to Paul, we are at Eaudevie, which is a…kind of a speakeasy, right?
IAIN: Yeah, roll with that. Yeah, a speakeasy, a quiet little bar.
JON: Iain, I’m told you guys make some crazy cocktails.
IAIN: We take, we do our best shot at it, that’s certainly true, yes.
JON: So what are we going to do?
IAIN: Right now we’re going to make up for you our own variation that we do on a Moscow Mule, the original drink just being a vodka based cocktail with some lime juice and a ginger beer. Just give us a good measure of citrus vodka, I’ll knock some orange juice in there right now, we cut, instead of just using straight honey, we just cut it down a little bit.
JON: That is very different and very good.
IAIN: Yeah, so that is Eaudevie Moscow Mule.
JON: You have only been open for 2 years, how is it so popular?
MAX: Ah well I think you know Sydney eventually is a big town, but the community is small and when they find something cool they all follow each other like sheep.
JON: I noticed the kitchen is right back here, this guys is just whipping it up right next to the bar, right out in the open.
MAX: Yeah, it’s very helpful and plus is we give him shots he gives us a good recipe to make some drinks, yes, so it’s a good deal, it’s a very good deal.
JON: It’s a win-win! Wll cheers to you Max.
MAX: Thank you
11:07-11:09 Next Stop logo
11:10-11:15 JON: Up next, the world’s best first class lounge, and the mystical Blue Mountains.
11:17-11:19 Next Stop logo
11:20-13:59 JON: Today we are travelling a couple hours outside of Sydney, to the mystical Blue Mountains. OK, I can see the sign, Flat Rock, but where are we Duggie?
DUGGIE: Well we are at the beginning or the middle of the Blue Mountains, and this particular is called Flat Rock, so I’ve brought you here because it has magnificent views across the whole of the Blue Mountains, 100 kilometers that way, 100 kilometers that way.
JON: Regardless of the mist. Let’s be imaginative! Let’s find the other cool stuff.
DUGGIE: Yeah, well, you know it’s the Blue Mountains, don’t need to be blue, today they might be white, if we go this way, we just might be able to see some really special stuff.
JON: You know, I feel like we are on the moon, but a lot of people have been here.
DUGGIE: Yeah, look at them all.
JON: This is great!
DUGGIE: Do you think Neil Armstrong has written something on there?
JON: I bet he has.
DUGGIE: So after the wars, there was a worldwide depression as you probably know, and so they moved out to the regions, so of them moved from the beaches and people who came to the Blue Mountains actually lived in caves, there are hundreds of thousands of caves.
JON: This is really cool, you would never know this existed here, again, many people have found it though.
DUGGIE: So next stop is Scenic World, which is one of the most visited and popular attractions in the Blue Mountains.
ELI: We’re at Scenic World today, on this skyway, a cable car that goes across the valley about 389 meters to the other side. As you can hear and see the waterfall down here.
JON: Oh, wow.
ELI: It’s about 800 feet top to bottom of the falls. Our next stop is Scenic Railway, 52 degrees.
JON: So what we’ve got here is the steepest railway in the world. So this used to haul coal up and down?
ELI: Yeah, coal up and down. Little coal cars from 1878 to 1945.
JON: Yeah, this is pretty steep, that is so cool! This is awesome. Well this is a quite a lovely way to end our day in the Blue Mountains.
DUGGIE: This is what you do with your loved ones, a bit romantic.
JON: Well we love you, you’re our new friends.
DUGGIE: Aw, shucks, thanks.
JON: Thanks for your time today, great to meet you, it was a great day today.
14:01-14:03 next Stop logo
14:04-17:17 JON: A few years ago I had the pleasure of using my Alaska Miles to upgrade to business class on Qantas, and it was one of the best flying experience of my life. Well this was no different, a couple of days ago, with Alaska Airlines simple connection through LAX, we boarded the brand new airbus 380 and it was an amazing flying experience Thomas. Qantas is a great airline. The spirit of Australia!
THOMAS: We are, absolutely, and that is what we encompass, that real just genuine care and Australian hospitality and I’m glad to hear that is what you experienced.
JON: Now, you’ve also experienced the airbus 380, let’s talk about that plane, because it’s like a hotel in the sky, it’s not like an airplane.
THOMAS: No, it’s not. The 380 is designed by Marc Newson, our Creative Director at Qantas. The aircraft in the first cabin, business class, premium economy, down to the economy cabin is really providing what is now, you know, the queen of the skies.
JON: Well the economy cabin, this is really nice, everybody has their own screen a their seat, they’ve got foot rest, snack bar in the back, it’s great for economy but we were able to upgrade to business class. Wow.
THOMAS: Yeah, absolutely.
JON: Flat bed, super comfortable, the food was exceptional, the service-amazing. This first class lounge is something like we’ve never seen, this is really beautiful. And designed by the same guy who designed the interior of the airbus 380, right?
THOMAS: Absolutely, yep, yep. So Marc Newson, our Creative Director designed the first lounge here, it’s a totally new build on top of the existing airport here in Sydney.
JON: The carpet has a purpose, right?
THOMAS: Yeah absolutely, and with the carpet, its again got Marc Newson’s signature design on it, about time in Hong Kong and it’s about having a design when you initially look at it, it makes you feel a bit dizzy so you don’t look at it, you look up and actually enjoy everything else that there
for you to see.
JON: This lounge is just amazing, it’s very clean, very chic, very elegant. Kind of a simple elegance I think.
THOMAS: Understated luxury is what we like to call it.
JON: And I love that noise, that board over there.
THOMAS: Yeah, you know, on land as well, we don’t want to lose the golden years of aviation, so with the flapper board, we want people to remember.
JON: Sydney airport is obviously a very busy, hustle and bustling airport.
THOMAS: Absolutely.
JON: But when you walk into this lounge downstairs, you have the living wall, feel the oxygen and everything just all of a sudden tapers down.
THOMAS: We want to take away, you know, that stress and hassle downstairs, and when you come through, go into the garden there, that sense of health and well being, and bring you up into the sanctuary and relaxed space in the lounge.
JON: So not only is this relaxing, but it’s a super elegant place.
THOMAS: Oh, absolutely, and if you know, the hustle and bustle downstairs, we couldn’t unwind you enough with the living wall, we’ve thrown in a day spa as well just to make sure you are really relaxed.
JON: A day spa?
THOMAS: Absolutely.
JON: No way.
THOMAS: yeah, come and have a look.
JON: Wow. OK, this is kind of like saving the best for last. Another living wall! So much oxygen in here, what a beautiful room.
THOMAS: If you are not relaxed after you’ve been in here, you never will be.
JON: You guys have thought of everything
THOMAS. that is what it is all about.
JON: And you’ve won awards, this has won the best first class lounge in the world.
THOMAS: When we first opened in 2007, the following year won the Sky Tracks best first class lounge in the world award. We are very proud.
JON: And we love Qantas, it’s great to meet you.
THOMAS: No worries Jon, well come back to Qantas first very soon I hope.
JON: I hope so too. For more information on Qantas and this exceptional airline, visit qantas.com
17:20-17:22 next Stop logo
17:23-17:26 JON: Coming up,local music in Macho Manly, and we chat about space beer.
17:28-17:30 Next Stop logo
17:31-17:57 JON: Manly is not only the birthplace of surfing in Australia, but is also one of Sydney’s favorite seaside destinations. It also boasts the pedigree of producing several surfing champions. Manly is a quaint little town loaded with hotels, cafe’s, surfing shops, pubs and so much more. it was aptly named by Captain Arthur Phillip for it’s indigenous peoples confidence and manly behavior. Manly’s slogan, 7 miles from Sydney, 1,000 miles from care. No worries, mate!
17:58-18:00 Next Stop logo
18:01-19:23 JON: We’re in the 4 Pines brewery in Manly, to chat about local foods, space beer, and music. Australians love their beer, and when I was coming to Australia, a few of my mates on the mainland said you’ve gotta have a Fosters. Jaron, let’s just go ahead and dispel that rumor now. Australians don’t drink Fosters.
JARON: No, not at all. In fact, it’s actually really hard to find a Fosters beer anywhere in Australia.
JON: Here we are in the brewery, for our little romantic dinner for 2, in Manly.
JARON: Ummm, we started just as this, brewery, bar, restaurant that we are in here tonight, and just recently we’re gone whole sales around Australia. Crack this bad boy open and you will see some pretty serious steam coming out of it. And this here is one of the absolute signatures here, cooked with a little of that pale ale here as well.
JON: So I read something about space beer. What’s space beer?
JARON: Good question. We’re actually working with a group of space engineers, the director who is a bloke from the US, he’s lived out here for about 10 or 15 years now. The space engineers that we are working with, they are locals here as well.
JON: OK, good.
JARON: And over a few beers, you do space, we do beer, let’s do space beer. It’s a cool story and the project is already pretty far evolved.
JON: Cheers.
JARON: Cool. To space beer.
JON: To space beer.
JARON: Cheers.
MUSIC
19:55-20:27 JON: James, I’m digging your tunes, man.
JAMES: Thanks very much.
JON: Cheers.
JAMES:Thank you.
JON: What is your choice of beverage this evening?
JAMES: Well, I actually like to blend my beers, this is a blend of Kolsch and Hefeweizen, I call it the Kolscheweizen.
JON: Nice!
JAMES: Yeah, I got a lot of hassle for it, but I’ve been here a couple years now, so I just kind of like to dabble and mix things up.
JON: So like Jaron, you are not from Manly either?
JAMES: No, I’m actually from very very close to where Jaron was from in Perth, my brother was good friends with Jaron growing up, but a couple of years above me and I came across here, it was supposed to be for 2 weeks, but it’s been about a year and a half ago, so I haven’t left. I couldn’t leave, I just love it here.
MUSIC
21:10-21:22 JAMES: The goal of my music is to reach people through music. I know that sounds really corny, but I don’t actually care monetarily what I do with music, I just want to have the most people I can listen to it, and be touched by it.
MUSIC
21:30-21:32 next Stop logo
21:33- JON: Thanks for tuning into Next Stop from one of the most gorgeous cities in the world, Sydney Australia. Cheers to our Sydney show sponsors, Qantas Airlines, Eight hotels, and destination New South Wales. We love you Ozzys! Thanks also to our title sponsors, Alaska Airlines and the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card. Next Stop, where will we take you next? make good memories everybody!
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